Zenith Royal 1290 solid state B&W portable - Videokarma.org TV - Video

maxm · #1 07-31-2009, 09:03 PM

I got this set today at the Antique Radio Club of Illinois sale.
The person I bought it from said he worked for Zenith in the 1970s and 80s.
He said he wasn't there yet when this set was designed, but knew of its significance.

This set is in worn condition, but complete, and working. After a good cleaning it will look better. I will post some better pictures once it is cleaned all up. The quality of this set is really amazing, even the cabinet has a nice design for the back that makes it look a step above the tube sets of the time.

Earlier this week I watched the video Doug posted on YouTube of his set, so it was nice to find one just a few days later.

I know these are rare sets, I wonder if anybody here has one besides Doug?

*zenithfan1* · #2 07-31-2009, 09:38 PM

I wish I had one, there's not many to be found. GREAT score!

drh4683 · #3 07-31-2009, 10:35 PM

great find. You'll be amazed when you open it up and see how its put together. Many plug in transistors on different hand wired metal chassis' that plug into the main chassis.
Ironically, I was watching mine when I saw you're post. Picture is outstanding on these.
I know captainmoody has one that he picked up at an estate sale a few years ago. I think the three of us are the only ones to have one, certainly a rare find.

radiotvnut · #4 07-31-2009, 10:50 PM

I also watched Doug's video and am very impressed with this set. That's probably the most well built portable EVER made. I did run across the sam's photofact in my stash while looking for something else.

mr_fixer · #5 08-01-2009, 02:03 AM

I had one of these back in 1996, It was stolen out of my storage building. I really miss that set. Were these marketed under the "Royal" banner i would love to see an advertisement with a R-3000 R-2000 and a R-1290 side by side if they did. IIRC the chassis is a aluminum chassis with transistor sockets like the T-O's

drh4683 · #6 08-01-2009, 07:41 AM

Royal 1290 insides: Still has the all steel chassis. Its a heavy little set as it is. Put on the battery pack and its a boat anchor. I have a product data catalog and the sales outfit hand wrote in the price and this set was 199.95 when it came out late in 1965.

kx250rider · #7 08-01-2009, 11:19 AM

I don't remember ever working on one of those... And no wonder. I doubt one has ever needed repair! Look at that battleship!!!!!

Charles

Jeffhs · #8 08-01-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxm

I got this set today at the Antique Radio Club of Illinois sale.
The person I bought it from said he worked for Zenith in the 1970s and 80s.
He said he wasn't there yet when this set was designed, but knew of its significance.

This set is in worn condition, but complete, and working. After a good cleaning it will look better. I will post some better pictures once it is cleaned all up. The quality of this set is really amazing, even the cabinet has a nice design for the back that makes it look a step above the tube sets of the time.

Earlier this week I watched the video Doug posted on YouTube of his set, so it was nice to find one just a few days later.

I know these are rare sets, I wonder if anybody here has one besides Doug?

I have never seen the chassis or any other inside view of the Royal 1290 until now (I have seen pics and a schematic of this set, but it's been years ago). I agree with the posters who said the set is built very solidly. Probably, as was mentioned earlier in the thread, one of the best if not the best TV sets ever made by Zenith. However, I have a question: How are you managing to get Antiques Roadshow on yours? Hmmm.

The only thing I can think of is that you have a converter box hidden behind the set or else your service is basic cable that, like the cable system (Time Warner) in my area, up- or down-converts (I always get those terms mixed up, as I don't know that much about DTV yet) ATSC broadcast signals to NTSC.

maxm · #9 08-01-2009, 01:58 PM

I had the set hooked up to a DTV converter box in my basement, though I was able to pickup a snowy analog channel 23 on UHF without an antenna.
I'll post some pictures of the insides of mine once I get it cleaned up.

bgadow · #10 08-01-2009, 09:49 PM

One thing is for sure, it would have to be the best built of any of the gazillion 12" bw sets that have been produced since the 60s. That chassis is a sight to see! Other companies didn't put that much effort into a color console...

*zenithfan1* · #11 08-01-2009, 10:03 PM

When Doug first showed me his, I was astounded at the quality that went in. The pictures don't do this little guy justice, you have to see one in person. Not having this little set makes a BIG hole in my B/W collection. It is the best made portable there is IMHO. You're right about the other companies Bryan, if they made their color sets half as good as this they'd all still work.